Article-holding apparatus

ABSTRACT

An article-holding device for fishing poles or other rodlike articles comprising a base having at least one article-holding opening and a movable, spring-mounted plate member lying on the base. The plate has an opening which is partially enclosed from the exterior by a flange. The opening in the plate lies directly above the base opening when the spring means are uncompressed. The flange holds the article in the opening. Insertion of the article is accomplished by pressing it against a beveled portion of the flange. Removal is accomplished by compressing the spring means thereby moving the flanges in the plate out of blocking engagement with the openings.

United States Patent Anderson [54] ARTICLE-HOLDING APPARATUS [72] Inventor: Malcolm J. Anderson, 42-43 149th Street,

Flushing, NY. 11355 [22] Filed: June 11, 1969 211 Appl. No.: 832,069

[52] US. Cl ..248/309, 211/60 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47f 5/00 [58] Field of Search ..248/309, 110,113, 312; 211/60, 60 T, 60 S, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 89

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,204,813 11/1916 Murray ..211/60 X 1,221,584 4/1917 2,592,189 4/1952 [451 Jan,18,1972

FOREIGN PATENTS OR. APPLICATIONS 29,677 10/1903 Switzerland ..211/63 Primary ExaminerJ. Franklin Foss Attorney-Fennelly, Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue & Raymond [5 7] ABSTRACT An article-holding device for fishing poles or other rodlike articles comprising a base having at least one article-holding opening and a movable, spring-mounted plate member lying on the base. The plate has an opening which is partially enclosed from the exterior by a flange. The opening in the plate lies directly above the base opening when the spring means are uncompressed. The flange holds the article in the opening. Insertion of the article is accomplished by pressing it against a beveled portion of the flange. Removal is accomplished by compressing the spring means thereby moving the flanges in the plate out of blocking engagement with the openings.

1 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 ARTICLE-HOLDING APPARATUS DESCRIPTION or THE INVENTION The present invention covers an apparatus which may be used to hold objects such as fishing poles, brooms, billiard cues and the like. The apparatus comprises a base member having at least one article-holding opening and a slidable spring-mounted plate member lying on the base. The plate member has at least one article-holding opening and a flange adjacent each opening along its exterior side. The opening in the plate lies directly above the base opening when the springmounted plate is in its uncompressed position. This allows an object to be placed in the opening. The flange adjacent the plate opening prevents removal of the article after insertion.

The design of this invention provides an article-holding apparatus which securely holds articles and which prevents their removal therefrom. The articles may be inserted into the holder by simply pressing them against a portion of the locking mechanism. Such a design is a significant advance over conventional sliding plate article holders such as those described in US. Pat. NOs. 1,204,813; 1,221,584; 1,291,430 and 3,400,812.

Although the present invention can be used to hold a variety of articles, it will hereinafter be described in terms of a holding device for fishing poles. It is to be understood, however, that the invention should not be construed as limited to such use.

Fishing pole holders such as those described in U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,178,032; 3,291,427 and 3,421,632 do not securely hold fishing poles in place in heavy seas. Such conditions will cause the poles to either fall to the boat deck or be thrown overboard. The present invention provides an article holding apparatus which prevents poles inserted therein from being knocked to the deck or thrown overboard. This insures a safer and more economical storage means for such objects.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention as used to hold a fishing rod assembly;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view showing the locking mechanism of this invention:

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the invention taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, partially cutaway showing the invention with the sliding plate in its uncompressed position; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the plate in its compressed position.

The applicants invention comprises an article holding and locking mechanism 1 which may be attached to the side 10 of a boat by screw means 11. The locking mechanism is preferably used in combination with a holding member 2 that has at least one hole 3 in its upper surface. Such a combination design affords a means whereby a fishing pole 4 may be securely held even in heavy seas. The butt end 5 of fishing pole 4 is inserted in hole .3 of member 2 while the upper portion 7 of the pole is inserted in an opening 8 in the locking mechanism 1. The reel 6 likes between the locking mechanism 1 and member 2. The lowermost two or three inches of the fishing pole lies inside member 2 so that even in the heaviest seas the butt end 5 of pole 4 will not jump out and fall to boat deck 9. The upper end 7 of pole 4 is securely held in the article-holding opening 8 of locking mechanism 1 by a flange 12.

As is best seen in FIGS. 2 through 4, the locking mechanism 1 of this invention comprises a base member 16 in the shape of a half-T on which is mounted a slidable, spring-mounted plate member 13. At least one article holding opening 8a is formed in base 16. Another opening 8b is formed in the plate member 13 and is partially enclosed along its exterior edge by a flange 12. A top plate 14 having opening 8c may be placed above the sliding plate 13. The top plate 14 is spaced from the base 16 and is fixedly mounted thereon by screw means 15. The base 16 may be formed of wood such as mahogany or oak while plates 13 and 14 may be formed of plastic. The screws and spring are rreferably made of brass.

Fl S. and 5 show the article-holding and locking mechanism 1 with plate member 13 in the compressed and uncompressed positions respectively. In FIG. 5 spring means 17 lying between stop member 18 and edge 19 of plate 13 is uncompressed. The openings 8a, 8b and Be are all in the same lateral position and lie one above the other. In order to insert a pole 4 or other object into article holding opening 8, plate 13 must be moved so that flange 12 moves partially out of blocking engagement with opening 8. This can be done by simply pressing the pole 4 against beveled edge 19 on flange tip portion 22. A component of the force lies in the direction of movement of plate 13 to its compressed position. Once flange 12 has moved a sufiicient distance to expose an opening equal to the diameter of the pole 4, the pole will enter opening 8. The spring mounted plate 12 will then snap back to its original position as shown in FIG. 4 and will hold pole 4 in opening 8.

The removal of the pole 4 is accomplished by pressing the plate 13 to its compressed position as shown in FIG. 5 by means of plunger handle 20. Flange 12 will partially unblock opening 8 and will form a curved exit path for the pole 4 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 5. Other poles 4 which may be held in other openings 8 in locking mechanism 1 will not fall out since they will be held against edge 21 of opening 8 and will still be blocked by the tip portion 22 of flange 12. To hold the poles 4 against edge 21 the holes 3 in member 2 shown in FIG. 1 may be offset slightly to the right of the plumb line from opening 8 in the locking mechanism. The same result may be accomplished by slightly tilting the locking mechanism in a counterclockwise direction.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides an article-holding and locking mechanism which will securely hold fishing poles even in the heaviest seas and which has pressure means for quick insertion of poles therein. The locking means allow removal of one pole without disturbing the other poles which may be inserted in the mechanism.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An article holder comprising:

a. a base with at least one article-holding recess formed along its edge;

b. a single movable plate resting on the base having one hook-shaped flange for each recess, the flange lying adjacent the edge of the base and being adapted to extend substantially across the entire width of the recess to block passage of articles into and out of the recess, the flange having a beveled surface on its outer side near its tip against which an article can be pressed to move the flange out of blocking position;

0. a spring located between a stop on the base and the plate to resiliently hold the flange in blocking position when the spring is uncompressed;

d. a covering plate lying over the movable plate and being fixedly attached to the base to hold the plate on the base;

e. a handle attached to one portion of the movable plate to allow the plate to be moved against the spring and thereby move the flange out of blocking position; and

f. a second holder spaced from the base to receive the end of an article held in the recess.

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1. An article holder comprising: a. a base with at leaSt one article-holding recess formed along its edge; b. a single movable plate resting on the base having one hookshaped flange for each recess, the flange lying adjacent the edge of the base and being adapted to extend substantially across the entire width of the recess to block passage of articles into and out of the recess, the flange having a beveled surface on its outer side near its tip against which an article can be pressed to move the flange out of blocking position; c. a spring located between a stop on the base and the plate to resiliently hold the flange in blocking position when the spring is uncompressed; d. a covering plate lying over the movable plate and being fixedly attached to the base to hold the plate on the base; e. a handle attached to one portion of the movable plate to allow the plate to be moved against the spring and thereby move the flange out of blocking position; and f. a second holder spaced from the base to receive the end of an article held in the recess. 